Right now, as the Warriors wrap up their most promising, least appalling season since dinosaurs roamed the planet, Chris Mullin could be bathing in contentment.

Could be drowning in satisfaction. Could be too scared to do anything except maintain the status quo.

But if Mullin was that kind of fat and happy (and lazy and unimaginative) executive, he couldn't have rebuilt the Warriors' foundation at super-speed in the first place.

If you think the lineup that hits the floor in tonight's season-ender is anything close to the lineup that will open 2005-2006, if you think Mullin is content with a 34-48 season, you had better remember who's running the Warriors these days.

"Put it this way," Mullin said. "The mindset that we're satisfied? It's the total opposite of that."

Let me underline: Be ready for more Warriors moves this summer. Some major moves.

Because sitting passive all summer is what the Warriors used to do, and see where it got them for the past, lost generation?

"I think what's happened in the last few months is good," Mullin said. "But it doesn't really mean anything.

"I kind of equate it with if you get a big win on the road, come back and lose a home game. You actually went backward more than you ever climbed.

"So our mindset is: a lot of work to be done."

Late Monday, not long after the Warriors' trouncing of the dismal Lakers, Mullin acknowledged the franchise's astonishingly positive course-correction after Mullin's Feb. 24 acquisition of Baron Davis.

And Mullin did not disagree with the notion that he and General Manager Rod Higgins are building around Davis, who is young, owed a ton of money and has proved his worth beyond measure in only a few short months.

But the Warriors have a logjam at small forward (Mike Dunleavy and Mickael Pietrus) and probably won't be a serious playoff team until they add a dependable low-post scorer, a low-post defender and one more wing athlete.

"We're far away," Mullin said. "You just look at who we're competing against, just for that eighth spot alone. Minnesota is No. 9, out of the playoffs, with, what, 42 wins?

"You look at it mathematically, that'll open your eyes and say, `Whoa.' I don't get a feeling of things are lined up. I don't have that feeling at all."

So look for Mullin to use Dunleavy, who is due a big contract extension, or Pietrus as bait for a young post player like Philadelphia restricted free agent Samuel Dalembert or an established shot-blocker like Portland's Theo Ratliff.

Or maybe Mullin will try to move up in the draft, perhaps using a combination of picks and players to get to No. 1 or No. 2 for Utah center Andrew Bogut.

Or there's my own contribution: If Phil Jackson is seriously considering coming back to the Lakers with major personnel power, as I keep hearing, would he want to jettison Kobe Bryant? And would Jackson be tempted by a package including Jason Richardson, Dunleavy and Troy Murphy?

With the previous Warriors administration, this would be crazy talk. Break up a lineup that fans are cheering? Never! But that's how Garry St. Jean's teams floundered.

If Mullin were meek, he wouldn't have traded Antawn Jamison two summers ago, before Mullin was officially the team's chief decision-maker. Then he wouldn't have been able to parlay the package he got for Jamison into the trade for Davis.

He wouldn't have drafted Pietrus in 2003 and Andris Biedrins in 2004, when both were unknown in America. He wouldn't have traded for Zarko Cabarkapa.

And he wouldn't have hired Mike Montgomery in his first official move, a decision Mullin has never regretted.

"He's done a great job," Mullin said, saying he was especially impressed with how Montgomery has handled the trades, playing-time issues and the arrival of Davis.

"Now the big thing is maintaining the chemistry through whatever comes next. You know how quick things can change. That's not paranoia, that's fact. Stuff like that even happens on championship teams."

Then Mullin paused and gave the theme for the upcoming weeks and months in Warriors land, which is suddenly a significant place.

yeah im coo off getting kobe. i gaurantee you mullin is also. mullin doesnt want kobe because he believes in j-rich. i just find it highly unlikely he will make another huge splash as far as changing the core, unless he really finds a deal he thinks will really help the w's. he will tweak the roster no doubt. i think a shareef abdur-rahim would be a good fit with the warriors, he's an all-star talent but hasnt played with anyone who can help him flourish. put this guy with baron davis and i think the 29 yr old now entering his prime would do big damage. i dont know what his contractual status is but i know we'd have to shed some to take on his. murphy and a draft pick for him? why would the blazers do it? because they suck and why wouldnt they want a young pf like murphy, amongst the league leaders in rebounding, with a good shot. open up some space for their C project pryzbilla. also we need to do a sign and trade with the 76ers. philly this summer gives delembert a foyle like contract, we trade foyle and next years #1..ok now would these teams do it? well just look how mullin played the hornets. he knows how to make a deal. anyway take a look at this lineup:

as far as this june's draft goes, I say get the best player with size available at (probably 9), then get nate robinson or john gilchrist with our first 2nd rd pick for pg depth, then maybe a project highschooler with the other 2nd rd pick like sg louis williams out of GA HS, or sf shawne williams out of Tenn HS.

"Losing is inevitably close to winning," Guber said. "They're inches apart. Drama. If you have drama, you've got a ticket to sell." "They're not real fans," Lacob said. "They don't have season tickets."

yea not this years #1, next years #1 that we wont need when we're in the playoffs and get a crappy pick anyway.

yeah i know reef isnt the defender we need but if we got dalembert as well itd be good. delembert will be the defensive guy inside. reef will be the offensive guy inside. all this stuff is far fetched im sure but its fun to play with different ideas.

"Losing is inevitably close to winning," Guber said. "They're inches apart. Drama. If you have drama, you've got a ticket to sell." "They're not real fans," Lacob said. "They don't have season tickets."

dsigns wrote:Or there's my own contribution: If Phil Jackson is seriously considering coming back to the Lakers with major personnel power, as I keep hearing, would he want to jettison Kobe Bryant? And would Jackson be tempted by a package including Jason Richardson, Dunleavy and Troy Murphy?

I didn't take the time to read everyone's comments... I just read the article... and, although I liked how he mentioned that Mullin was not timid and that he'll do what's best for the team (not just the popular choice)... I must say...

DISGUSTING! Why the hell would we trade for Kobe Bryant?!? The man has the worst season in recent history and all of a sudden we want to trade for his selfish, unfaithful, outspoken, pushing-Shaq-outta-LA bucket of problems? No thank you! I wouldn't accept Kobe Bryant into the organization if LA left him on our steps with a basket of kittens!

Not only that, but the writer would package Murph, Dunleavy, and (worst of all) JASON RICHARDSON for #8? I'm sorry, but I've lost all respect for the author of this article. He's no Warrior's fan; he's an 11 year old punk who's pulling for the most popular baby face in the league. I have no respect for such nonsense.